Zayn Nimis-Ibrahim
Hailee Colgrove Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer
Heartland Symphony Orchestra is happy to announce the winners of the 2025 Echo Kowalzek Youth Concerto Competition. Currently in its 48th year of performing in Central Minnesota, the Heartland Symphony Orchestra hosts a Youth Concerto Competition every other year, alternating with a Composers Competition. This year, auditions took place at St. Francis Music Center in January. The judges panel included Ryan Webber, HSO Music Director, Leslie Zander, HSO Concertmaster, and Jen Mickels, HSO French Horn player and local elementary music teacher. The judges were impressed by the quality of all those who auditioned and are happy to announce the solo performers will be Hailee Colgrove and Zayn Nimis-Ibrahim.
Hailee Colgrove is a third-year student at Bemidji State University studying vocal performance under the wonderful instruction of Dr. Jennifer Olson. While attending BSU, she has been involved in the Bemidji Choir and the Chamber Singers, as well as performing with the Jazz Band. She has also been heavily involved in opera at BSU, performing as the Announcer in “Gallantry”, and most recently taking the stage as Susanna in “The Marriage of Figaro”.
While at BSU, Hailee has been awarded the Don & Ione DeKrey Vocal scholarship, has taken first place in her category of the Minnesota NATS vocal competition for three consecutive years, taken first place in the NATS Regional vocal competition, and even made it to the top eight finalists in the region for the Bruce P. Carlson Scholarship competition through the Schubert Club Organization. Hailee hopes to finish her Bachelor’s Degree at BSU and then continue her education at the graduate level, with hopes of performing professionally in the future!
Zayn Nimis-Ibrahim is a senior at Bemidji High School (BHS), where he plays piano and upright bass in the chamber orchestra and studies piano with Dr. Stephen Carlson of Bemidji State University. He attended Interlochen Arts Camp in 2024. Zayn has performed with La Voce Ballo, the BHS show choir on the electric guitar, and with the BHS band on percussion.
Colgrove & Nimis-Ibrahim will attend rehearsals and perform with the HSO in the upcoming spring concert series #Homegrown on Saturday, March 22 at 7:30pm at Charles D. Martin Auditorium at Little Falls High School and Sunday, March 23 at 2:30pm at Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts in Brainerd.
These concerts are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Five Wings Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. In Little Falls, the Laura Jane Musser fund provides additional support. The Echo Kowalzek Youth Concerto Competition is funded in part by a grant from Crow Wing Power Community Trust for each winner to be awarded a $500 scholarship toward continuing their musical studies.